HR objectives

• Human resource objectives


  • Employee engagement and involvement
  • Talent development
  • Training
  • Diversity
  • Alignment of values
  • Number, skills and location of employees (Workforce planning)
• Benefits of fulfilling human resource objectives


  • Lower staff turnover
  • Higher labour retention rates
  • Higher productivity
  • Full compliance with any UK labour legislation
• External influences on HR

  • Economy
  • Political factors (legislation e.g. equality measures, minimum wage)
  • Technology (e.g. developing workers as a priority?)
  • Competitive environment
• Internal influences on HR

  • Corporate objectives (e.g. growth)
  • Type of product or service
  • Style of management (hard/soft)
  • Trade unions
  • Overall performance
• Hard HR approach


  Managers see employees as just another resource that has to be used as efficiently as possible

  • Short term - employees hired and fired as necessary (repeated recruiting and training)
  • Minimum pay
  • Little / no empowerment
  • Downwards communication
  • Autocratic leadership
  • Motivation: financial
• Soft HR approach 


  Employees are seen as the most valuable asset and a vital competitive weapon

  • Long term - employees developed through internal recruitment and ongoing training programmes
  • Employees empowered and encouraged to take decisions
  • Encouraged to extend and update skills
  • Democratic leadership
  • Motivation: delegation and empowered teams (more control)
• Human resources


  The management of people in the workforce to assist the organisation to achieve its objectives
• Diversity


  Encouraging new recruits to come from a wide background as possible and retaining employees already recruited through recognition + embracement of their cultural differences
• Alignment of values 


  Alignment - to fit or integrate the different features of an organisation

  Values - the essence of a business's identity (aka the grounding principles / beliefs which keep the business going)
• Advantages of hard HR approach

  • Quick decision making
  • Predictable outcomes
  • Easily replaceable employees
  • Managers retain control - reduce risk of errors
  • Cost effective
• Disadvantages of hard HR approach

  • Dissatisfied and unmotivated employees
  • High absenteeism
  • High turnover rate
  • Relies too heavily on senior management - no input from lower levels
• Advantages of soft HR approach

  • Better staff morale / motivation
  • Businesses can be more creative + innovative
  • Keep and develop high skilled employees
  • Greater collaboration and contribution
• Disadvantages of soft HR approach

  • Decisions take longer as consultation takes place
  • Some employees prefer direct instruction